Tour #1: SLO City

Yes, they call San Luis Obispo, CA SLO City. 

We weren't there long enough to learn if there was any truth to the acronym.  After the delays from Chicago (and Phoenix for half the company) we spent a total of 18 hours in SLO, including a show at CalPoly and a trip to IHOP.  Then it was back on the plane to Phoenix and Chicago. 

I'm sad we didn't get to see more of the city.  It looked pretty once the clouds cleared. 

 In the small window of time we had in Phoenix, I shopped the magazine store (someone called it that and made me laugh...Ross?...someone) and acquiesced to a copy of Bride Magazine.  Edgar seemed slightly more excited than I was to look at it. 

After about an hour and half delayed on the runway, we finally took off for Chicago and had a rather uneventful flight (except for Kyle and I inadvertantly making fun of a girl's thong).  It was ridiculously wonderful to be home.  And having seen California and Bride Magazine, I have honeymoon destinations to consider. 

AAaaaaaaaaaaaAAAaaaAAAAhhhhhhhhhh

I'm getting married!!!!!

This guy

gave me this ring.

He came to pick me up for dinner and instead of getting into his car like usual, I was caught at my door and offered a ring.  I said yes (spoiler?) and we had a great dinner.  While he proposed, a car alarm went off.  It was very appropriate.  One thing - we never got to giggle and scream about it...we had to be in front of people for a couple hours and then make phone calls.  We got a little giddy here and there.  But I have a lot left in me.  Good thing we have time.

We are very happy and really excited to share our wedding with as many people as we can reasonably afford. 

Christmas, New Year, New Blog

We did it, 2009!  Here were are.  Everything got real today.  But I'm ahead of myself.  Christmas was...

Mom, dad, Matt and me at the Stratosphere.

A Vegas staple: the Elvis stocking.

Pretty great.  We saw a few shows, lost some money, but gained pictures and presents.  I'm not mad that I get to go to Vegas to visit my parents.  Although it is mildly exhausting.  Don't people go "home" over the holidays and watch movies and do crossword puzzles? 

I wish I could say New Year's was as exciting. We rang it in in the van on the way back from my last show as an understudy for a while.  Happy New Year, seven friends I just did a show with!  Now go find your party!  My party was Cheers reruns on Matt's TV.  And I was very happy with that.

So, Natalie, what's with the new blog?  Well.  It's about to get interesting.  (Also I love puns.)  I need to have some subject matter upon which to focus this old thing, so I'm turning my attention to my impending touring.  Get ready to see some sweet pictures of hilarious bar names and all manner of theatre venue. 

Before I get bogged down in the mire of travel and work and whatnot, I do want to say how excited and grateful I am to have a job I love.  I would've never planned for this or imagined it before I got here, but I figured out what I wanted pretty quickly.  In January of 2004 I walked into Second City to audition for the Conservatory Program.  Today I walked in for my first Touring Company rehearsal.  The last six years have been, in all sincerity, awesome.